Reviews

Tell the Wolves I'm Home, by Carol Rifka Brunt

meganmais's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional hopeful reflective medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

shaydyes's review against another edition

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emotional reflective sad tense medium-paced

3.0

sianami's review against another edition

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4.0

Really really enjoyed this. Gripping, sad, and a satisfying ending.

bwreads's review against another edition

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5.0

Book of the year! May be the best one I've read in two years! If it doesn't get nominated for 50 awards at least I'll be upset.

vikologia's review against another edition

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4.0

This book has one of the most believable young adult characters I've seen so far: dreamy, emotional, curious, kind, suspicious of others, maximalistic...

Young June is in grief after her only friend, a very talented painter - uncle Finn, dies from AIDS back in 1987 when people did not know that much about this illness. Finn leaves behind only an extraordinary painting of June and her seemingly mean elder sister Greta, but it turns out that he had another 'special friend' who's remained a secret for many years.

Tell the Wolfes I'm Home is a story about a very lonely troubled teenager June who loves everything Medieval and doesn't get along with her peers and her relationship with her creative, smart and caring uncle Finn. It's a story about June secretely becoming friends with the person Finn loved most - another person dying from AIDS. A story about June being misunderstood by her family. About her teenage sister feeling left out and behaving mean because of that (like most teens do when they're lonely or jealous). It's a story about love, compassion, being there for people, opening your heart for your close ones and, also, spending your life on doing things you really want to do and being with people you really want to be with. A story about learning to love yourself and live with the way you are.

Finally, it's the only book I've read where not one, but two characters die from a terminal disease. It is sad, of course, but C.R. Brunt made the reader feel that their lifes were not in vain, that both of them did something very valuable for other people and for themselves. And that's what really matters.

buffy87's review against another edition

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sad tense slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.0

The first half of the book I really was confused about where the plot was heading. I felt pretty uneasy reading it... almost like I was expecting a jump scare of SA trauma. But as the story unfolds things become a bit clearer.

Plot wise, I wasn't too invested. I kept getting jarred out of the flow by June's confessions towards Finn. It made me want to stop.

However, the writing makes you want to keep going. There are some beautiful moments of prose dangling throughout this book that it was a pleasant surprise.

I enjoyed the conversation between the sisters via art. In fact the sister relationship was intriguing for me to read as it was complicated but also wholesome. 

Suitable for junior high and up.

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jditmars's review against another edition

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emotional sad slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

milola's review against another edition

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4.0

there is a part of me that wants to give 5 stars to The Wolves. not because it was such a magnificent piece of literature, more so, because the story seeped into my bones walked through my life as if it had been there before.
so very gald i read this book.

emilykateduvall's review against another edition

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emotional hopeful reflective sad slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0

jennifur's review against another edition

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5.0

Someone send help before I drown in the pool of my own tears.